You've built your emergency fund, determined your goals and their costs, and thought about how much risk you can take. But how do you know which securities to buy? Which ones are going to get you where you need to go?

Before you begin choosing individual mutual funds and/or stocks, you need to think in broader strokes. You need to consider your asset allocation.

Your asset allocation is your portfolio's blend of stocks, bonds, and cash. Finding the best asset mix is crucial if you want to meet your goals. In fact, most financial advisors agree that setting up the right asset mix is more important than choosing great investments. Determining your asset allocation is easier than ever before, thanks to a variety of online calculators and tools.

This course will show you what you need to know before determining your asset mix. It will also discuss the limitations of online asset-allocation tools.